As the debate dust settles . . .

Posted by cwaddell under Election 2008, Election 2008 Campaign strategy, Election 2008 Media commentary

Christopher Waddell

Following the comments of my colleague Ira Wagman, three observations from the “Greens in the debate” controversy.

For Canadians, it’s a little example of the impact of media concentration – what can happen when the same people own TV networks and newspapers. While enough Canadians were clearly sufficiently upset to force the NDP and Conservatives to back down in their stand against having the Greens in the televised debates, surprisingly the issue didn’t capture the imagination of the two national newspapers. The Globe and Mail (ctvglobemedia) walked an editorial tightrope to avoid criticizing the networks for agreeing to keep the Greens out while the National Post (CanWest Global) so far is missing in action on the issue. Wonder why?

For the NDP, it is a sign the party is feeling the pressure on the environment. That issue used to be the NDP’s preserve but the Layton campaign realized that it can’t afford to alienate environmentalists (and others for that matter) by keeping Elizabeth May out of the debates. That just gives more reasons for them to jump either to the Greens or the Liberals. It’s particularly important as the Liberals are the main rivals in many of the seats the NDP currently hold as well as the ones it wants to win.

For the Conservatives, while they are running a campaign designed to highlight Mr. Harper as a family man, even they get concerned when he starts to look too much like Father Knows Best.

Christopher Waddell is associate director of the school and a former Globe and Mail Ottawa bureau chief, former CBC-TV parliamentary bureau chief and election night executive producer for CBC TV News.